December 1, 1931 - March 27, 2023
In Loving Memory ~
It saddens us to announce the passing of Bill Zyha in the Creston Hospital March 27, 2023 at 91 years of age.
He was born on the family farm northwest of Spirit River, Ab., to George and Maria Zyha on December 1, 1931.
As a young man working on the farm, he taught himself to play the guitar and fiddle to accompany his great singing voice. He enjoyed playing and singing with a local band for country dances in the area.
Deciding he preferred carpentry to farming, he got a job with Tissington Construction in Grande Prairie, Ab. He moved his first wife and daughters Carolyn and Barbara there. When he obtained his journeyman carpenters ticket, his job was setting up mobile camps, schools and teacherages in northern Alberta and BC. He was also the companies trouble shooter and emergency repairman.
In 1969 he married Irene Turner in the little Ukrainian Orthodox church in Spirit River, Ab., combining Bill's two daughters and Irene's three sons in a blended family. After being promoted to Field Superintendent he grew dissatisfied with this position overseeing friends and men he had worked with for years. The decision was made to go to Creston, BC where he got work as a carpenter, and in 1970 he moved his new family there.
Years later he started a truss and prefab business called Truline Industries. Upon leaving there he started to work at Creston Builders. There he did some carpentry, made pre hung doors and ordered stock for the store.
In 1980 property was purchased on Kootenay lake at Destiny Bay. He continued to work at Creston Builders for years. Looking forward to retirement, he purchased his first wood lathe and taught himself to turn wooden bowls. He became very well known for producing beautiful, interesting bowls made in many sizes and shapes and using many different types of wood.
A life fully and well lived. He will be remembered as always striving for perfection in everything he did, his sense of humour, his many jokes and his generosity.
His funeral was held at the Boswell Memorial Hall on April 6th, 2023, with his interment at the Boswell cemetery.
His passing leaves an empty space in the lives of his wife Irene, daughter Carolyn (Victoria), stepsons David Turner (Destiny Bay), and Dean Turner (Pam) Fort St John.
Sisters Sophie Deley (Calgary), Mary Kinakin (Harry) Grimshaw, Ab., and brother Matthew (Pat) Edmonton, Ab.
Granddaughters Cassandra Turner (Gerald) Sudbury, Ont., Jessica Turner (Vancouver), Samantha Baker (Nick) Penticton, BC, Grandson Matthew Turner (Amy) Fort St John, BC.
Great grandchildren Nixon McKay (Sudbury, Ont), Addalyn and Blake Turner (Fort St John), Kara Olafson (Penticton). And many nieces and nephews, too numerous to name.
Bill was predeceased by daughter Barbara and stepson Daniel Turner.